This invention relates generally to a novel method for disposing of drill cuttings and more particularly to the process for source identification of such cuttings and the identification of value added processes for commercializing the cuttings in an economical manner
In the process of drilling for oil and gas large amounts of earth, rock, shell, minerals, etc., are removed from the borehole along with drilling fluids containing chemical additives. As part of the drilling process the fluids and chemicals are recycled leaving the rock, shell, minerals etc. to be disposed of in some manner. These so-called drill cuttings are processed at the well site to reduce their bulk and remove as much of the chemical residue as possible. However, in most cases the residual contaminates remain above acceptable limits for reintroduction back in the environment without further treatment. In some cases the cuttings are collected, chemically treated, and transported to landfills where they may be further treated if necessary for atmospheric decay or simply pumped into abandoned wells. In other cases the cuttings are pulverized and treated at the well site for injection back into the earth formation of the well being drilled. Most recent developments have improved the cuttings treatment process at the well site to the point that they are considered as being acceptable for reintroduction into the environment without further treatment. In the case of off shore drilling, the cutting may be simply spread over the seabed around the drill site or transported to designated sites to serve as artificial reefs. However, on land even the highest quality drill cuttings must often be transported great distances for disposal and are often treated as contaminated waste products. As the cost of transport increases and the availability of disposal sites decreases, the cost of cuttings disposal continues to spiral upwards.
Alternative methods must be found to recycle the cuttings in a way that will help pay for their transport and reduce reliance on other mineral deposits and thereby reduce energy costs.
In addition it has been found that if the cuttings have not been treated properly or disposed of in a proper manner, they may be considered as hazardous at some future date, in which case the companies who produced the cuttings originally are held responsible for the excavation and removal for treatment and disposal. Under current law once a mined or excavated material has been found to be acceptable for reintroduction into the environment and recycled by transformation by a third party into a commercial product, the original producer is no longer responsible for the material. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the oil and gas industry to find ways and means to recycle its waste materials rather than dispose of it by burial.